Understanding the Impact of Obesity

Obesity is a chronic and progressive disease that can affect multiple organs in the body. People with clinically severe obesity are at medical risk of disability or premature death. The estimated number of deaths attributable to obesity among U.S. adults is approximately 280,000 each year. At the top of  the lists of obesity-related comorbidities are adult onset diabetes and high blood pressure. High blood pressure caused by clinically severe obesity can contribute to heart attacks, congestive heart failure and stroke. Additional conditions that are commonly caused or exacerbated by obesity include

• Obstructive sleep apnea, obesity hypoventilation syndrome, asthma/reactive airway disease

• Atherosclerosis

• Gallbladder disease, GERD (recurrent heartburn), recurrent ventral hernias, fatty liver disease

• Diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hyper-cholesterolemia

• Frequent urinary tract infections (UTI’s), stress, urinary incontinence, menstrual irregularity or infertility

• Degeneration of knees and hips, disc herniation, chronic non-surgical low back pain

• Multiple disorders, most are related to diabetes and yeast infections between skin folds

• Breast, uterine, prostate, renal, colon and pancreatic cancer and gallbladder disease.

 

Treating Obesity with Surgery

Obesity is very difficult to treat. Surgery to promote weight loss by restricting food intake and interrupting digestive processes is an option for clinically severe obese patients who have been unsuccessful with other weight loss treatments. When other medically supervised methods have failed, bariatric surgery can offer a great option of long-term weight control for those with clinically severe obesity. Are you a candidate for Bariatric surgery? A BMI above 40 indicates that a person is morbidly obese and therefore a candidate for bariatric surgery. Generally, this translates to 100 lbs. or more overweight for men, or 80 lbs. or more for women. Bariatric procedures may also be an option for people with a BMI between 35 and 40 who suffer from life threatening cardiopulmonary problems or diabetes. However, as in other treatments for obesity, successful results depend on motivation and behavior.

 

Benefits of Bariatric surgery

The medical and emotional benefits of weight loss procedures begin almost immediately after surgery. Over time, the benefits following surgery may include:

• Significant sustained weight loss

• Most patients lose weight rapidly and continue to do so until 18-24 months after surgery

• Although many patients regain some of their weight after 24 months, few regain it all

 

Improvement or elimination of most obesity related comorbid conditions

• High cholesterol

• High blood pressure

• Obstructive sleep apnea (breathing disturbances during sleep)

• Hypertension

• Type 2 diabetes

• Cardiovascular disease

•  Endochrinologic disease

• Dyslipidemia